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14 Mar 2024

UK bank holidays 2024: How to maximise your time off

Take the right days off over the Easter 2024 holidays and you'll get 16 days away from work using just 8 days of annual leave

Lauren BellSenior researcher & writer

With the 2024 Easter holidays almost here, we explain how to strategically tag days off onto bank holidays and weekends over Easter, May half term and beyond to get 55 days off using just 25 days of annual leave.

Paid annual leave is a right for every UK worker, but it's limited. Use your days wisely, though, and you can enjoy extended periods away from work.

For instance, take eight days of leave over Easter, and you'll get 16 days off to head on holiday or rest and recuperate at home (if you include adjoining weekends).

So mark your calendars. We’ve outlined the UK bank holidays in 2024 below, plus how best to use them. For this, we've assumed you have 25 days of leave on top of bank holidays, so adjust the below if you have fewer or more paid days off.

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When are the UK bank holidays 2024 in England and Wales?

1 January - New Year’s Day
29 March - Good Friday
1 April - Easter Monday
6 May - Early May bank holiday
27 May - Spring bank holiday
26 August - Summer bank holiday
25 December - Christmas Day
26 December - Boxing Day

When is New Year's Day 2024?

New Year's Day (1 January) fell on a Monday this year. People from England and Wales would've mostly therefore returned to work on 2 January.

Unless you get more than 25 days of annual leave per year, we didn't recommend extending this bank holiday. That's because if you took off between Christmas and New Year in 2023, you'd have already enjoyed a nine-day break. Instead, we suggested you saved your leave for the rest of 2024.

Annual leave days needed: 0

Actual days away from work: 1

Date for the diary: 1 January 2024

When is the Easter bank holiday 2024?

This year, Easter falls between 29 March and 1 April - which automatically gives you a four-day weekend - without using any extra holiday days.

How to extend it

To make the most of Easter, take four days off (25-28 March) in the lead-up to Good Friday and the four days following Easter Monday (2 - 4 April). This will use eight days of annual leave, and you’ll be able to relax away from your job for 16 days in a row.

It’s the perfect opportunity to make a beeline for sunnier climes - if you can pry yourself away from the Easter eggs. Discover where's hot in March and April. If you're staying in the UK, you could check out one of the best-rated UK walks as rated by Which? members.

Annual leave days needed: 8

Actual days away from work: 16

Dates for the diary: 23 March - 7 April

Is Good Friday a bank holiday in the UK?

Yes. Good Friday falls on 29 March this year, and is a public holiday.

When is Easter Monday 2024?

Easter Monday falls on 1 April this year and is a public holiday.

When are the May bank holidays 2024?

The early May bank holiday falls on Monday, 6 May. There is another one on 27 May.

How to extend the early May bank holiday

If the extended Easter stint off work didn't cut it, tag four days onto the early May bank holiday (Tuesday 7- Friday 10) and enjoy nine days of freedom (including weekends). Keen on somewhere sunny? Find out where's hot in May.

Annual leave days needed: 4

Actual days away from work: 9

Dates for the diary: 4 May - 12 May

How to extend the spring bank holiday

whitewashed houses on the coast of Spain

You'll need to cram a lot of work into April, as it looks like you won’t be doing much in May with another bank holiday falling at the end of the month.

Add on 28, 29, 30 and 31 May to enjoy an extended nine-day break. Sun, sea and sangria in Spain are calling.

Annual leave days needed: 4

Actual days away from work: 9

Dates for the diary: 25 May - 2 June

Planning a holiday in 2024? Check out our package holiday company reviews before parting with your money to ensure you book with a company you can count on.

When is the August bank holiday 2024?

The summer bank holiday lands on 26 August. Adding leave to this gives you a chance to squeeze in a UK break to enjoy the last of the British summertime before the days become colder and darker. Just be sure to find a reputable holiday cottage provider from our survey if you plan to book a self-catering break - and don't forget to pack some well-rated walking boots.

How to extend it

With the bank holiday landing on a Monday, book off Tuesday - Friday to enjoy a nine-day holiday. You could choose to head to a top-rated seaside town in the UK.

Annual leave days needed: 4

Actual days away from work: 9

Dates for the diary: 24 August - 1 September

When are the Christmas bank holidays 2024?

Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday in 2024, and Boxing Day lands on a Thursday; both are bank holidays.

Whether your Christmas plans involve kicking back in front of the TV with a box of mince pies - rated well by our in-house testing team - or heading to a Which? member favourite European city break, make the most of the festivities by extending your downtime.

How to extend the Christmas holidays

Book five days of annual leave on Monday 23, Tuesday 24 and Friday 27, plus the following Monday and Tuesday (30 and 31 December) and receive 11 days off in 2024. You'll technically get 12 days off because New Year's Day 2025 is also a bank holiday.

Annual leave days needed: 5

Actual days away from work: 11 (12 if you include 1 Jan in 2025)

Dates for the diary: 21 December - 1 January